Archive for the ‘Broadcasting’Category

Life happens. You spill Coke on your computer. Your child knocks a laptop off the table. An intern accidentally downloads a virus to your computer even though they swore this new file sharing program was “totally safe.”

21

01 2015

One feature we’re really excited about in Wirecast 6.0 is Twitter integration. This new feature allows you to take Tweets in real time and overlay them during a broadcast. And there are plenty of ways you can use this during a broadcast, whether it’s interacting with fans during a pre-game show or making halftime more interesting than just a shot of the middle of the court… unless you hired this guy for your halftime show. Nothing is more entertaining than “The Amazing Christopher.”

So, how do you get your hands on those sweet, social media interactions? It’s quite simple.

12

12 2014

We’ve cut another track (read: recorded a podcast)… have a listen below and let us know what you think. In episode 2, Tony, Jordan and Kyle discuss their own unique broadcasting backgrounds and the challenges faced in various sports. We also discuss some personal pet peeves and even delve into a discussion of national broadcasters that we find hard to stomach!

15

05 2014

Below you will find our first foray into the realm of podcasting, as we give you episode 1 of the Stretch Internet podcast (don’t worry, we’ll come up with a better title).

Starting up a podcast is something we’ve planned on doing for a while and our hope is that it evolves into something that’s informative, educational and at least flirts with entertaining. We have some pretty solid ideas for content down the line, so stay tuned to see what we have in store.

With that said, please enjoy and post your comments below (and remember, if you don’t have anything nice to say… lie).

As I started my new position as Harvard, which features 42 division I varsity teams, it became clear to me that I needed to come up with a third type of production, one much smaller than I had used before. We still plan on putting together large and medium-size productions for football, hockey, soccer, lacrosse, basketball and softball games. However, with so many sports, and a wide range of facilities, a smaller production type was needed.

Medium Setup at a Harvard Soccer Game

I wanted to take this opportunity to share my plan with all of you, in case you were also looking for a way to produce games without a hardware switcher, and have tight limits on equipment cost and quantity.

This smaller production type is based around a Macbook Pro laptop, with Telestream’s Wirecast software, which luckily Stretch Internet provides to all its clients.

In general, Wirecast can support as many camera inputs as you can plug into your computer. However, up until now, Wirecast laptop users often used only one live camera, due to bandwidth limitations. Additionally, if a camera was plugged in directly to a laptop using a firewire cable, it was limited to a distance of no more than 15 ft. from point to point.

The only way to get uncompressed digital HD non-firewire video into Wirecast was by using a tower computer (such as a Mac Pro) with PCI inputs cards. That process is both expensive and cumbersome.

Luckily, Apple’s new Macbook Pro with Retina Display, with its fast processor, large memory, and advanced input ports, can support 3-4 independent HD camera sources. This new Macbook Pro has two new Thunderbolt ports and two USB 3.0 ports, both of which are fast enough to support live digital HD video input (as opposed to the older USB 2.0 ports).

The question then remains – how do you get three cameras into the Macbook Pro?

Some of you may be familiar with Blackmagic Design, a company known for its many converters and other video and audio gear. Earlier this year, Blackmagic came out with two new products:

1. The UltraStudio Mini Recorder – This device allows you to take a HD-SDI or HDMI source, and connect it to the Macbook Pro using the new Thunderbolt connector. When I saw the press release about this device a little while ago, I was blown away. Other HD-SDI converters can cost up to $10,000. I couldn’t imagine ever getting something like this for less than $150. I’m seriously considering getting another one of these recorders and just keeping it with me at all times. Who knows when I’ll need to import HD-SDI/HDMI footage…

Anyway, since the new Macbook Pro has two Thunderbolt ports, you can purchase two of these mini recorders, for two camera inputs. Both sources would be displayed in high definition, and would include embedded audio with them.

Blackmagic Design UltraStudio Mini Recorder

2. The Intensity Shuttle USB 3.0 – This device is similar to the Mini Recorder, but uses the computer’s USB 3.0 port instead of Thunderbolt. Additionally, this device can accept component video feeds, as well as HDMI (but not HD-SDI). Therefore, you can use this device for the third and fourth camera inputs into the Mac, for $200 each. Alternatively, if your cameras only support component output (and not HDMI or HD-SDI), you can get four Intensity Shuttle devices (two for Thunderbolt and two for USB 3.0, as the device is offered with either connectivity). (Editor’s note: The Intensity Shuttle’s support on Mac OS is currently in beta phase, but all reports are that testing has gone very well. The beta version of Blackmagic’s Desktop Video is currently available to the general public here – http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/us/support/detail?sid=3947&pid=4042&os=mac.)

Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle USB 3.0

To help explain this setup a bit, here is a photo of three cameras connected to the Macbook Pro using the equipment I described above:

Our three-camera Wirecast Setup (with no additional audio)

The total cost for all equipment in this photo (excluding cameras) is:

Therefore, with about $3,500, you can easily set up a three-camera production. Wirecast allows you to switch between the cameras, as well as add lower third graphics and a score bug. With Wirecast’s newest version, you even get a live preview of all your video sources in the bottom part of the window, which makes lives switching much easier.

You don’t need a switcher, preview monitors, program monitor, video router, or a large staff. All you need is someone to operate your Wirecast software, and as many camera operators as you’d like.

As for the graphics, you can either use Wirecast’s built-in graphics, or create your own custom ones (like we did at Harvard).

Wirecast Preview Window

I think this 2-3 camera setup is a great solution for a small school or organization looking to put together a multi-camera shoot, but at a limited cost and with limited equipment.

The last remaining point relates to cameras. The cameras that I showed in the photo above are made by JVC. For these smaller setups, we use one JVC GY-HM600 camera, one JVC GY-HM100 camera, and one JVC GY-HM150 camera. We like their flexibility and functionality. All together, these three cameras cost $8,500. However, you can easily use less expensive cameras for this setup.

I would recommend looking for cameras with HD-SDI outputs, as those allow you to carry a digital HD signal over the longest distance (without using fiber optic cables). However, if you decide to purchase cameras that do not have HD-SDI outputs, I would just recommend two things:

1. If the cable run from the Macbook Pro to your camera is relatively short (less than 50 ft.), I would use a HDMI output and cable, as it best maintains the digital video quality.

2. If the cable run from the Macbook Pro to your camera is longer (more than 50 ft.), I would use the component output and cable. It is an analog signal, so the quality is not as good, but it is HD, and does support almost 1000 ft. of cable length.

I hope this sample setup is helpful. There are many variations you could do, including using different cameras, a slightly different laptop or a different mix of converters. However, I think this setup provides the lowest cost for the best quality.

31

07 2013

Pre-event testing – it is one of most essential/tedious/borderline annoying things that should be at the top of every SID’s list of things to do before their live event begins (albeit a very long list).

We recommend giving us a quick shout about 30 minutes before any event just to make sure we are receiving a clear, sharp and steady video stream. It helps ease the mind of both parties and solidifies that everyone is on the same page. Here at Stretch Internet, our support staff loves answering calls for some pre-event testing (OK, so our lives are a little dull) because there is no better way to make sure everything is running smoothly. Of course, testing the day before or a week before is great, but there are certain variables that may change once everything is set up at the actual venue on any given day. Anything from the internet connection on site, to overlooking a setting selection in Wirecast, to making sure the audio is coming through clearly can go wrong. Whatever the case may be, it is always nice to know everything is working as it should before the event begins.

As all of our clients know, we place a heavy emphasis on the support we provide, and our job is to make the streaming process as pain free as possible.

Looking forward to doing some testing this year!

22

07 2013

No matter the broadcast medium, a play-by-play person’s job description is always the same: tell the story of the game. However, the manner in which that task is carried out differs greatly when comparing broadcasts with and without visual aids.

For broadcasters, many of their first events are radio or Internet broadcasts that do not have visual aids. As a result, the primary skills honed early in many broadcaster’s careers are related to play and scene description. There is a large emphasis on painting a clear and vivid picture with words when there is no visual aid. It is critical to present the listener with as much information about the given event, location and play sequence, so that when it is all said and done, the audience has an image ingrained in their mind of what has transpired in an event that they cannot view themselves. The broadcaster acts as the eyes and ears of the audience, and the primary focus is to relay critical information and description to the audience. While these skills are critical to develop for a broadcaster, they can be detrimental when transitioning to television or internet broadcasts that do contain a visual aid.

Kevin Harlan, of NBA on TNT and “No Regard for Human Life” fame, once said he prepares 10 times as much material for a television broadcast as he does for a radio broadcast. Harlan says when he has the visual aid of television, there is less description required of him and more opportunity to provide back story. The audience can see the play-by-play with their own eyes. They can also hear the accompanying ambient noise from the players and crowd and, frankly, could watch the game without any commentary (although it is not suggested) and still have a pretty good idea as to what is going on. Especially with the aid of score and time graphics, the play-by-play broadcaster’s approach to the game must be different from when he or she is broadcasting on the radio.

One of the hardest transitions to visual broadcasting is learning to let the video speak for itself. A broadcaster does not have to describe every action and detail of the play on the floor or field. In fact, while going the extra mile on a radio broadcast to describe a scene or play is an effective tool for a broadcaster, it can be distracting and even annoying on a television broadcast. It is hard to discipline one’s self, and resist the urge to say everything that comes to mind, but when a broadcaster has the aid of video and graphic production, less can sometimes be more. Adding commentary on SIGNIFICANT plays allows the commentary to almost feel more important. By speaking less about the action transpiring on the floor, it also allows for that extra preparation to shine through. There is more opportunity to drop in interesting stats or facts, even DURING the play, that otherwise cannot be delivered on the radio because there is such a focus on describing the action. While initially it may be difficult disciplining yourself and resisting the urge to talk about every single detail of every single play, I think you will find that the quality of your commentary will be enhanced by picking the spots in which you comment on the action and find yourself with more opportunity to enhance the back story to the game.

Finally, I want to finish with a video. In my opinion, there are few broadcasters on the national level right now better than Ian Eagle. Agree or disagree, I think you will find the video below to be incredibly entertaining. More importantly, however, it is an example of how a broadcaster can practice his or her craft. The most important thing for young broadcasters is to get live-game repetitions. It is the most effective way to improve. However, live-game repetitions are hard to come by for a variety of reasons. That does not mean that your broadcast skills are destined to deteriorate through atrophy. When I was younger, I would often mute the television and broadcast the game to myself. If I were playing a video game, I’d do the same. I think the video below shows a method that is even more effective. In the video, you’ll see Ian broadcast a fake game. He simply sits in front of a group of aspiring broadcasters, creates a scene and then goes off on his own and pretends to broadcast the game. It forces him to use creative and descriptive language. It is also an excellent tool to allow broadcasters to become comfortable with their voice. If you can sit in a room and broadcast a game that does not exist, then it should only get easier from there.

27

11 2012

For those of you who haven’t read Stretch Internet’s previous blog, my name is Imry Halevi, and I am the associate director of video production at Northeastern University.

A few weeks ago, I contributed a post to this blog regarding the hockey and basketball broadcasts we produce at Northeastern, which we stream using our Stretch Internet Portal.

Some people who read the post commented that while they appreciate everything that we do to make our productions looks good, they could never afford all the equipment we use to pull together a multi-camera HD production. I completely understand that. Video productions can range anywhere from full-scale TV truck productions with equipment costs in the millions of dollars, to a camera and a laptop that cost no more than a couple of thousand dollars. Both are perfectly fine streaming options, and both can result in great productions.

Admittedly, our hockey and basketball streams fall a little closer to TV truck productions than most schools can afford. However, those are not the only games we produce. These days, we’re busy producing soccer, volleyball and field hockey games. For these non-arena productions, we’ve been using an old NewTek Tricaster Broadcast and some other supporting equipment to stream a fine SD broadcast.

However, we’ve always had an eye out for a way to upgrade these streams on a budget, as the difference in quality between our all-digital HD productions and all-analog SD production has been quite noticeable.

A side-by-side shot of our (HD) men's basketball games and (SD) women's basketball games from last year

Therefore, we were very excited to see Newtek’s announcement a couple of weeks ago, launching a new switcher – the Tricaster 40. With a list price of $5,000, this is NewTek’s low-end switcher. It is capable of HD production and streaming, and provides a lot of options that have historically been found only in professional (read “expensive”) switchers. After reviewing the above side-by-side shot, our athletics administration gave us the go-ahead to purchase the new Tricaster.

Working around this new switcher, we’ve been able to put together multi-camera HD productions for all our sports with less than $10,000 (switcher included).

Obviously $5,000 (or $10,000) is not for everyone. However, for schools that have some kind of video production budget, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

Newtek Tricaster 40

We’ve worked with this switcher for a couple of weeks now, and I can safely say that it has blown me away. It’s fast, easy to use and contains a tremendous amount of features.

I’ll spend the rest of this post briefly outlining how we spent the $10,000, and how we make our low-end productions look the best it possibly can.

(7. For some of our productions we use a NewTek 3Play for instant replay. But that is not at all required)
(8. We also use Sennheiser announcer headsets and a Behringer mixer, but these are not required)

Our Tricaster 40 during a soccer game

Below are the details of how we use each of the above pieces of equipment:

1. The new Tricaster 40 is at the center of our productions. We use it to switch cameras, play back pre-recorded videos and animations, display overlays and stream our production in HD (more on that later). Each camera is connected to the Tricaster using component cables. Component cables (which are red, green and blue) are analog (as opposed to the digital SDI), but allow high-quality HD video transmission.

Many professional video cameras use SDI connections to get a video signal to the switcher or other video display. While SDI is admittedly better quality than component, it is much more expensive, and less common in “prosumer” cameras. That is why NewTek opted for component connections with the Tricaster 40. The Tricaster allows you to mix-and-match different types of cameras with different types of resolutions and connections without the need for converters or adapters.

Like most switchers, the Tricaster works with several different layers of content. A background layer, which usually displays a videos source, and DSK layers (downstream keyer) which contain overlay graphics. The Tricaster 40 has two DSKs. We use one of these DSKs to overlay our automated score bug on top of our video streams and the other for other in-game graphics (such as lower thirds).

Most times, we use the Tricaster itself to generate all our non-score-bug graphics. We use NewTek’s LiveText software to create all the titles, and then upload them to the Tricaster for fast and easy update and live display. If your production staff is limited, the Tricaster 40 really does make it very easy for one person to both switch and update graphics on the go.

We put some labels on our Tricaster keyboard to help with live switching. NewTek says a dedicated control surface is on its way.

The Tricaster also features four “Virtual Input” channels, which allow you to create composite shots ahead of time and then display them on your screen. We’ve used these virtual inputs to display side-by-side shots of coaches, or picture-in-picture shots of two important things going on at the same time.

Finally, we use our Tricaster to stream our games in HD. Personally, I don’t like the Tricaster’s streaming function. It’s rather limited in its options, and provides no feedback or indication as to the quality of the stream (real time data rate, frames per second, etc.). I really like to use Wirecast for streaming, as it allows for customization of all streaming options and provides great live metrics.

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. We stream our HD productions at a rate of 2Mbps. That’s great for many viewers, but not for those who have slower internet connections. Therefore, we’ve worked out a system with Ryan and his crew to stream each game twice, once in SD and once in HD, and list them twice on the portal (see screenshot above). Our viewers get to choose which stream they want to watch.

Unfortunately, our Macbook Pro with Wirecast cannot support streaming in both HD and SD. The CPU usage just goes through the roof. In addition, Tricaster, by design, can only support one stream at a time. Therefore, we are forced to use both Wirecast and Tricaster for streaming. We stream our HD feed from Tricaster and our SD feed from Wirecast. We also use Wirecast to record our production, as it offers many more recording options than the Tricaster.

Luckily, the Tricaster provides several video and audio output options that allow us to connect our feed to the Macbook Pro using a Canopus box or an Aja IO HD capture device.

Overall, it has worked out fine. The only difficultly with this setup is matching the audio levels between the two streams. I’ll let you know once I figure it out!

Our Tricaster 40 in action

In addition to the live video sources, we also connect an audio output from our mixer into the Tricaster. We usually have five external audio sources for every production (PxP, Color, Sideline, FX, PA), so a mixer is necessary. However, if all you have for audio sources is an announcer microphone and an ambient mic, you can connect them directly into the Tricaster. No external mixer needed.

Finally, we use Tricaster’s network inputs to bring in the score bug (more on that later).

2. We use Sony HDR-FX7 cameras for our soccer, volleyball and field hockey broadcasts. They are not nearly as good as our JVC GY-HM700 cameras, which are used for hockey and basketball, but they are HD, easy to use, and cost a fraction of the price of the JVCs.

Our camera 1 and camera 2 locations for soccer broadcasts

3. As I mentioned earlier, we use a Macbook Pro to stream our games in SD using Wirecast.

4. and 5. One of our goals for this year was to make sure that all our games had professional-looking score bugs. That meant that we were not going to use a small camera pointed at the score board to crop out the clock. While an easy method, a cropped camera doesn’t look great, and definitely doesn’t look very professional. To that end, we’ve invested in two different devices. The first is a PC laptop. Any PC laptop would do, as long as it has a USB port. We then installed NewTek’s LiveText software on that laptop (the software comes free with the Tricaster 40, if you buy the “educational” package).

Daktronics All-Sport CG

The second device is a Daktronics All-Sport CG. This device wirelessly receives score and clock information from most Daktronics All-Sport score boxes, and can do two things with that information. It can provide a live data feed into the LiveText laptop, or it can be used to burn a generic score bug on your video automatically. This generic score bug is, well, generic, and therefore not really ideal (though very easy to use).

We connect the All-Sport CG to our PC laptop using a DB9-to-USB cable. With just a little bit of setup, the LiveText recognizes the data feed and automatically populates any score bug graphic you may have with clock and score information.

As long as the PC laptop and the Tricaster are both connected to the same network, they will recognize each other without any issues. We use Tricaster’s Network 1 input to get the score bug into the switcher.

LiveText with our soccer score bug

That’s basically it. You can add as much equipment as you want to this setup. We often add a replay system, an audio mixer, announcer headsets and a DVD recorder. However, none of these is required.

So far, the Tricaster 40 has been incredible. It fit perfectly within our productions and allowed us to do HD on a budget, without getting new cameras or any new equipment at all. It does have its limitations, such as less-than-ideal streaming and recording options, few transitions, no digital inputs and no control surface (yet). However, these issues are easily outweighed by the relatively low price point. I think this could be a great option for any school or organization looking to upgrade their productions to HD, without breaking the bank.

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions. I’m happy to tell you more about our productions or send you any videos, photos or examples of what we do.

Imry

i.halevi@neu.edu
617-373-4469

18

10 2012

The smell of fresh-cut grass, hot dogs on the grill, the warmth of the sun as it’s just beginning to cut through the chilly air… it can mean only one thing… Spring is just around the corner and with it comes a timeless seasonal tradition – baseball and softball double headers! We have received a fair number of e-mails lately regarding the semantics of broadcasting double-headers, so we figured a blog on the topic would be pretty useful. That’s the beauty of getting feedback from our wonderful clients… if we see a common thread we know there’s an opportunity for a FAQ. Here are answers to the most commonly asked questions:

Should I schedule the games on the same dial-in code or audio profile?

We do encourage this, and the main reason is that it will allow your fans to hear what’s going on if they click the ‘Listen’ link on game two, but game one is still going on. Let’s use this fairly common real world example:

Game one is scheduled to start at 1:00 and game two at 3:30. Game one goes into the 13th inning and the clock reads 3:45, so naturally the start of game two will be a bit delayed. Meanwhile, Joe Someguy’s grandmother in Cedar Falls, IA wants to hear sonny boy hit home-runs all day, but she knows he is only playing in game two. Round about 3:30 she logs into her AOL account (where she is warmly informed that she has mail), enjoys the first bite of her mashed potatoes and steamed veggie dinner, and inadvertently starts her web cam before cruising over to the portal and clicking the ‘Listen’ link for game two. If you are using the same dial-in code/audio profile, grandma will start to hear the exciting play-by-play audio from the end of game one, and can rest easy knowing that she is not missing any of Josey-posey’s game. If you are using a different dial-in code for each game, she will only see a loading symbol which in the best case will only prompt confusion, and worst case will send Grandma looking for the VCR remote. For all of our sakes, let’s do what’s best for Grandma Somegal.

Do I need to schedule double headers as two separate events?

Yes please! The primary reason for this is we want to separate the events in the portal for fans who are listening on-demand. When we archive the events, we will separate the audio and archive them accordingly so the end user won’t have to sift through the audio from game one to find the start of game two.

Should I hang up my call/stop the audio broadcast between games

Again with the yes. We encourage you to hang up your call (if using dial-in) or end your broadcast (if you’re using Flash Media Live Encoder or Wirecast) between each game. This helps for a couple of reasons – it gives us a pretty clear indication that the first game is over and it helps create separation when we go back to archive your games. Generally a 5-15 minute break is good, but it’s up to you broadcasters whether you want to re-connect the broadcast and just pot your mics down (an important step with grandmothers tuning in worldwide), or wait until you’re ready to start your pre-game show and re-connect then.

How should I schedule the games when the start times may change?

Our suggestion is to schedule your events with approximate start times for game 2… a good rule of thumb is two hours between softball games and two and a half between baseball (seven inning games, three hours for nine inning games). This will change from school to school obviously, and you are going to have the best feel for how long games generally take – so when you initially input game two just use your best estimate for a start time. While you can log in and change the start time if you see that there is going to be a major change (massive weather delay for instance), you can also simply post a portal message for game two that says something to this effect:

“This is game two of a doubleheader, the start time is approximate. It will start 20-30 minutes after game one.”

This will let Grandma know right away not to panic if the game hasn’t started and it’s five minutes past the scheduled start. But remember, as referenced above, if you are using the same dial-in code/audio profile for both games, the fans will start hearing audio from game one which should also tip them off that game two won’t be starting on time.

We hope this helps clear up a few questions, but leave us a comment if you have any others that weren’t covered.

15

02 2012

With the Christmas spirit in mind, the Stretch team has assembled a quick wish list of some items that might be useful, depending on your broadcast setup. This list is admittedly rangy (we’re talking Tulowitzki-esque range… shameless I know, but I have to dish out my Colorado love where I can) in terms of budget hit and practicality, but we hope you find an item or two on here that piques your interest.

Fear not those of you who might be averse to pepper spray in the face, you won’t have to run out to Wal-Mart and fight the holiday madness… e-Santa can bring you most of these items from the comfort of your sofa.

This is a nifty little tool that actually docks your iPad and turns it into a professional mixer. Surely in the creative and tinkering hands of our clients there are some brilliant applications for this device, but right off-hand we could envision this little gem as a useful way to record and store interviews/voiceovers etc… In conjunction with the Skype app, it might even be possible to dial in to our system and use this as an entirely self-contained broadcast setup (we haven’t tested this fully, but plan to do so in the near future).

This is a great item that we often suggest to clients looking for an affordable, easy way to broadcast audio using their computer and Flash Media Live Encoder (or in some cases Wirecast). For about $80.00 you can get this 4-channel mixer that interfaces with the USB port of your computer. There are two XLR inputs with individual gain controls, four 1/4″ outputs, and main/headphone outputs with individual level controls. This is a great, inexpensive way to get a broadcast up and running. All you need is this mixer (other models available with more channels), a laptop running FMLE, a headset or two and you are ready to go!

While many of our schools already use a TriCaster, most of the older models don’t support HD streaming. As we venture into the world of HD, the TriCaster 300 (NewTek’s most affordable model with HD for $10 K) sets the stage for schools who want to stream their broadcasts in stunning 720p.

The thing we love most about the RemoteMix 4 is the bluetooth compatibility. If you do a fair number of cell phone broadcasts, this mixer is for you – no more need to run a cable between the cell phone and the mixer! So, yeah, you can broadcast from your pocket. Pretty cool.

Perhaps you’re not on local radio, but would love to be able to have your fans listen to your call while they’re AT the game. Even though we offer mobile streaming, there can be up to a 30-second delay, which isn’t real practical for fans at the venue. But with a low-wattage transmitter and antenna, you can broadcast over a radio frequency in real-time for up a 3,000-foot radius (that’s more than half a mile!). Radio Systems is currently offering their transmitter and power supply for just $99.95 (http://sales.talkinghouse.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=71) and their outdoor antenna package for $295.

This is an extremely versatile recorder unit that can deliver top-quality sound bites for whatever your needs. Coaches shows, interviews, press conferences etc… Great value for the price tag!

We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season! Enjoy some down-time, crank the new Bieber Christmas album, grab a glass of egg-nog (or three) and if you’re an NBA fan like me, enjoy the magic of Lebron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Blake Griffin and Pau Gasol’s beard.